Chapter 142

Chapter 142
Chapter 142: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

*Rustle!*

Upon stepping into the chamber, Lion immediately swung the window shut and pulled the heavy curtains across, completely dividing the exterior from the interior.

Next, he pulled out a sheet of parchment and penned a bold warning in heavy letters.

※Under Experimentation※

ABSOLUTELY NO ENTRY

“Hmm, this should suffice.”

He genuinely hoped no one would wander in and get hurt.

While it was true that none of the household staff would casually walk into Lion’s private space, it paid to be overly cautious regarding unforeseen circumstances.

Lion firmly drove nails through the parchment directly into the door to secure it.

Even though deep nail scars marred the opulent surface of the Asteri Family’s fine door, Lion paid them no mind.

If anything, wouldn’t a slightly rugged exterior deter people even more effectively?

“With this in place, everyone ought to keep their distance.”

Lion surveyed the nailed sign with a nod of satisfaction, stepped inside, and threw the deadbolt behind him.

*Click!*

Meanwhile, the servants who had been observing Lion’s unusual preparations exchanged glances.

“We ought to notify the other staff members, correct?”

“Indeed. And just to be safe, let’s instruct them not to approach this area at all.”

The reaction was far calmer than one might have anticipated!

Which made complete sense, really.

The domestics had grown quite accustomed to Lion’s unique quirks.

Besides, eccentric as his behaviors often were, he had never once inflicted any harm upon the staff, had he?

Quite the contrary, he had proven quite helpful.

When the Spirit Master and those wayward spirits from the Elf Country had caused an uproar, it was Lion who stepped in and settled the chaos.

“My heart still races just recalling that ordeal.”

“Truly. Had it not been for the Young Master, we would have suffered for at least a full month.”

“We would have been stuck dealing with constant muscle aches day in and day out.”

From the perspective of the staff, that particular day had resembled a waking nightmare.

A terrifying omen forecasting a grueling road ahead!

They had nearly been drafted into a massive, exhausting overhaul where every single furnishing in the estate would need replacement…

The First Young Master had rescued them from that exact nightmare.

“We must absolutely not interfere with the Young Master’s endeavors.”

“Agreed!”

What Lion failed to realize was that the loyalty of the household staff far exceeded his expectations, but…

At any rate, access was restricted precisely as he desired, so the specifics mattered little.

The servants nodded in silent agreement and briskly retreated from the vicinity of Lion’s makeshift laboratory—or rather, his bedchamber.

Oblivious to how thoroughly his privacy had been secured, Lion retrieved his ingredients one by one from his pockets.

“Let’s see here…”

Lion examined the components, running through the formula mentally once more.

The procedure was decidedly intricate, yet he anticipated no failures.

As he had noted previously, his true expertise lay in alchemy, after all.

If anything, the step with a higher probability of error was crafting the potion containers themselves.

That precisely explained why he had cleverly utilized the Shilling Shop.

“Even the ‘Artisan’s Touch’ skill has ranked up.”

He had managed to successfully enchant the items as a byproduct of the process, as well.

A substantial amount of experience points had poured in all at once.

“That is a welcome outcome.”

Lion never allowed himself to grow arrogant.

Hubris invariably paved the path to a downfall, after all.

Furthermore, this particular concoction was being brewed solely to spare the Evil Beast’s Egg from unnecessary agony.

Consequently, he needed to maintain absolute composure until the draught was completely finished.

There would be ample time to pat himself on the back once the egg had thoroughly stabilized.

“And once it is all done, you certainly won’t have a spare second to celebrate.”

Lion dropped the prepared ingredients one by one into the mortar that accompanied his alchemical apparatus.

The initial component he added was none other than Luminous Ore.

『Usage: Alchemy, Beast Taming, Cooking』

Serving a dual purpose in both alchemy and beast taming, it was an indispensable element for this particular formula.

In truth, since he intended to pulverize it anyway, using pre-ground Luminous Ore Powder would have sufficed, yet he preferred utilizing superior materials when executing a task.

Besides…

“The item description carries significant weight.”

The Luminous Ore Powder, which originated as a byproduct of a failed mining attempt, bore this distinct text:

* It has lost its intrinsic value as Luminous Ore.

Surely, mining Luminous Ore and failing was fundamentally different from procuring a flawless specimen of Luminous Ore and grinding it down afresh?

The second item he introduced was a material acquired during the completion of a previous alchemical venture.

『Abyssal Slag』

* A residual byproduct of Abgrunth Iron. Pitch black in hue. It contains a high concentration of foreign impurities, such as obsidian, rather than pure iron.
* A faint aura of witch’s magic can be detected, though it remains well below dangerous levels.

『Usage: Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Painting』

『☞ Click to view the recipe.』

Judged purely by its description, it looked like a classic “junk item,” but its genuine utility could hardly be dismissed so lightly.

Consider its applications alone—it proved useful across three distinct disciplines!

“Though, painting as well?”

Perhaps because it possessed the dark coloration of raw coal, it could double as a pigment or dye.

Now that he thought about it, the current formula was trending in a somewhat parallel direction.

Though it bore a closer resemblance to mixing cement than blending dyes…

“At any rate, one can never have too many supplies.”

Lion nodded in quiet contentment, tipped the slag into the mortar bowl, and then…

Commenced the pounding!

*Thump!*

Lion brought the pestle down with considerable force.

Fortunately, the Luminous Ore fragmented with relative ease, but the slag presented a genuine hidden obstacle.

“Ugh.”

The hand gripping the heavy pestle vibrated intensely.

This was precisely why he had noted that there would be no leisure time for celebration.

Even with various impurities mingled inside, the slag incorporated Snow Mountain Iron, famed for its extreme hardness.

“It is a genuine blessing that this is an alchemical mortar and pestle.”

With a standard, everyday mortar, even if the heavens themselves split asunder, Lion could never have shattered the material using mere physical strength.

In fact, an ordinary bowl would likely have shattered instead…

“It is working.”

Lion offered a faint smile.

While the bulk of the slag retained its form, certain sections were visibly fracturing and crumbling away.

The top-tier alchemical implements had refused to yield to the stubborn slag!

“As expected, proper equipment remains the ultimate asset.”

Lion shook his throbbing hand gently, retrieved a pair of protective gloves, and pulled them on.

Additionally, he wrapped a length of sturdy bandage tightly around his wrist to shield it from strain during the subsequent rounds of hammering.

Admittedly, had he chosen to utilize the automated crushing function of the mortar, the task would have concluded in a fraction of the time, yet Lion deliberately opted against that shortcut.

This decision stemmed from the deep insights acquired via his Cooking Talent.

Which option yielded a superior flavor: a botanical sauce whisked together in a mechanical blender, or one meticulously crushed by hand using a mortar and pestle?

In most instances, the hand-ground preparation tasted incomparably better.

One might assume this was merely a result of the chef’s sincerity shining through?

Certainly, that psychological element played a part, but the true difference boiled down to subtle, physical factors.

When dealing with herbs, variations in aroma and texture certainly mattered, but the factor Lion focused on above all else was “heat.”

“It introduces too many variables.”

If the automated grinding mode were engaged, both the Luminous Ore and the slag would inevitably be pulverized at high velocities.

That method would undoubtedly yield a fine powder in short order.

However, a certain degree of frictional heat generation would inevitably accompany the process.

“Granted, the formula could still reach completion through that method.”

Even so, Lion desired the highest possible grade for this potion.

Consequently, he had no choice but to meticulously oversee every single phase by hand.

Besides, the manual approach was far from impossible.

Even now, with every deliberate strike of Lion’s pestle, the materials were steadily breaking down.

*Thump! Thump!*

Following repeated impacts, the chunky, pebble-like fragments gradually transformed into a texture resembling fine sand.

These gritty grains broke down further into minute particles, clinging tightly to the base and interior walls of the mortar bowl.

With each solid collision of the pestle against the stone, a cloud of fine dust billowed upward.

By this stage, nearly the entire mass had been reduced to fragments.

Lion carefully passed the mixture through a fine sieve, separating the microscopic particles from the coarser grit.

Thus, despite the grueling manual labor of pounding with a mortar, he successfully acquired a remarkably uniform powder.

“Phew.”

Lion exhaled a measured, shallow breath, mindful not to disturb the settling dust cloud.

His shoulders and arms ached from head to toe, yet the physically demanding phase of the operation had finally drawn to a close.

Lion tipped the refined powder directly into the alchemical vessel.

Next, this powder required intense thermal baking followed by an immediate deep-freeze.

“Nature, if you please.”

“Peep.”

Nature, seemingly attuned to Lion’s exact intentions, parted its tiny beak and unleashed a concentrated jet of intense flame.

The vessel rapidly heated up, causing the powder within to bake under the thermal wave and fuse together into a secondary mineral known as ‘Clinker.’

Nature did not pause there. Shifting its focus toward the clinker—which had melted under the heat and clumped into a sugar-like mass—the spirit projected a blast of freezing blue flames.

Unlike the previous display, mana began draining from Lion at a rapid pace.

Although manifested in the form of flames, the technique evidently consumed far greater quantities of energy due to plunging the material down to absolute zero rather than heating it.

Fortunately, having advanced to the 2nd Circle, his overall mana reserve had expanded sufficiently to keep exhaustion at bay for the moment.

“Nature is performing admirably today.”

He would definitely need to reward it with a truly delectable treat later.

“Peep.”

Nature, having successfully frozen the clinker to perfection, turned its gaze toward Lion and proudly puffed out its round chest.

Of course, given its spherical physique, anyone else observing might not have noticed the subtle gesture…

“As expected! Nature, you are simply the best!”

“Peep!”

“There exists no spirit in this entire world as clever and magnificent as you!”

“Peep peep!”

Lion, recognizing his companion instantly, clapped his hands together and showered the creature with effusive praise, prompting Nature to chirp in an elevated pitch as if demanding further adoration.

With each round of applause, Nature’s soft fur fluffed up visibly, and eventually, it even emitted a faint, humming chirp…

…An utterly adorable sight.

A potato that literally sings out of pure joy.

“I rarely miss my smartphone, but on a day like today, I truly wish I had a video camera.”

In his past life, Lion’s device had buzzed incessantly with business notifications.

So much so that he initially considered being stranded here without a phone a blessing, but at this exact moment… *groan!* It felt like a missed opportunity.

『Spirit Arts Proficiency has reached Apprentice Lv. 8.』

Moreover, perhaps as a reward for their flawless synchronization, his Spirit Arts Proficiency had jumped up by two whole levels!

“Splendid. Now comes the true final stretch.”

Lion retrieved the mortar once more.

Naturally, he had no intention of pulverizing this particular batch by hand.

The material was already in the form of hardened clinker, chilled down to the temperature of absolute zero.

This meant utilizing the automated grinding function of the mortar would present no complications whatsoever.

Mindful of avoiding frostbite, Lion transferred the chilled clinker into the grinder chamber…

*Whirrrrr!*

The mortar hummed with vibration, instantly reducing the contents into a velvety powder.

『Abyssal Kamentum (★★★★)』

* A specialized powder that has endured thermal extremes hotter than flowing lava and colder than a frost giant’s glacial breath.
* Adheres tenaciously to items imbued with Divine Power and absorbs their residual energy. Dissolve in liquid prior to application.
* Thanks to the remarkably meticulous calibration of a skilled alchemist, this process introduces zero corruption!
* It will fail to bond with any object devoid of Divine Power.

“Magnificent!”

Lion clenched his fist tightly upon confirming the star rating!

His overexerted finger joints twitched with lingering soreness, yet a thrilling surge of triumph cascaded through his entire physique!

Simultaneously.

『Alchemy Proficiency has reached Skilled Lv. 5.』

For the first time in quite a while, his core Alchemy Proficiency tier had advanced.

Lion smiled in deep satisfaction and tapped the floating system notification.

At that exact instant.

A secondary prompt materialized within his field of vision.

『Spirit Arts Proficiency has reached Apprentice Lv. 9.』

『Upon fulfilling specific conditions, you become eligible to advance to a new realm.』

—

What specific preparation or ingredient are you planning to focus on next for the Evil Beast’s Egg?